Mayor Wants More for Masich Place

Prince George, B.C. – While the upgrades to the Masich Place Stadium are to start this Friday, Mayor Lyn Hall would like to see a plan put in place to upgrade the grandstand.

The work that will begin this week is focused on the track and the field elements, but while Mayor Hall says he is happy to see there will be some façade improvements to the grandstand as part of the $4.2 million dollar upgrade, there is more work that needs to be done.

He labelled the current grandstand as “very rundown”. Adding, he doesn’t want to see the City put $4.2 million dollars into a complex and then walk away from it saying ‘we’ll get at this’ “It’s like saying you will put up a carport this year, and in a year you’ll build a garage, but you never build the garage.” He says there is still work that needs to be done to make the grandstand accessible to all spectators, and that there needs to be improvements to the dressing rooms and the concession area.

City Manager Kathleen Soltis says some suggested projects can be brought forward for the 2018 capital plan and the costs of those projects “In addition we can bundle up anything that might be required for the 2022 Summer Games.”

There is an open house set for Wednesday evening at Masich Place Stadium where staff will be on hand to answer questions from the public on the project. That open house is set to run from 5:30 to 8:30.

Comments

Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 @ 7:27 AM by isthisreallife with a score of 0

more nonsense. The bleachers are fine, only used for the odd track meet and event, no need for anything else. Much nicer than the track in Kelowna.

Stop spending money on nonsense and putting money into things the community needs.

Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 @ 7:53 AM by MattP with a score of 0

Certainly not nonsense. The bleachers are more in need of replacement then any other part of the stadium. Only used for the odd track meet? What? All high school football in this city takes place at the stadium. The plan is to move UNBC soccer games to the stadium. Numerous community events occur there ie Relay for Life, YMCA Road Race, the Punjabi sports tournament, etc.

An improved facility will attract more events as well. This facility is one of the most important ones in the city. Where is it that you would like them to be spending money instead?

Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 @ 8:47 AM by Leroyjenkins with a score of 0

agreed. The bleachers do the job perfectly as is, and rain is kept off of the heads. People just want everything replaced, like money magically flows around the town.

Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 @ 8:22 AM by axman with a score of 0

There are a lot of decrepit fields and bleachers in this town, why is this one facility getting all the money and attention?

Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 @ 9:07 AM by LunarcomPG with a score of 0

I would make the facility more accessible for people with physical disabilities. I am about to loose the ability to walk and as I check out places to see how I will have to gain access and that whole area is not accessible.

Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 @ 10:02 AM by Dumbfounded with a score of 0

Why did the city allow them to become “very run down”? It appears to be this cities legacy when it comes to our infrastructure.

Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2017 @ 3:15 PM by anotherside with a score of 0

Good observations folks … pretty basic maintenance issues that should have been accomplished with standard maintenance scheduling and funding … no photo ops though when the maintenance is done without wailing and gnashing of teeth … if we do not change our current practice, the town is going to fall down around our ears … stop looking for new spending opportunities and start maintaining what we have